Improvement in potato-diggers



R. L. ALLEN.

Potato-Digger;- Patented Jan 18, 185 9.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

n. L. ALLEN,OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

IMPROVEMENT IN POTATO-DIGGE RS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 22,612, dated January 18, 1859.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, R. L ALLEN, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Agricultural Implement denominated a Potato Digging Plow and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference and figures marked thereon.

The nature of the invention is chiefly confined to the construction of the dirt-sifting wings as combined with a plow, so as to be easily detached "therefrom, as in repairing when a wing has been broken off, or when the plow is to be used for other purposes. The share of this plow has the double mold-board, designed to throw the dirt each side, or rather on both sides at the same time. It is furnished with long narrow plates, flat or round, single or branched, inclined upward slightly and backward directly, having open spaces between them to allow the dirt to fall through, while the potatoes are loosed up and rolled out, some on one side and some on the other. The standard of this plow is somewhat higher in proportion than the ordinary plow. As it is designed to 'work in mellow ground, it is not made as heavy as the ordinary field-plow. The handles and side pieces are set almost horizontally in order to bring them at the proper height for holding, for bad they been set at the ordinary pitch of the plow-handle they would have been too high for a man of ordinary height to hold with ease.

In the following drawings, Figure l repre sents a vertical view of the plow, looking down; Fig. 2, a side elevation of the plow, the beamhandles and upper part of the standard being removed. Figs. 5, 3, and 4 exhibit varieties of the wings called prongs or branch wings.

Similar letters or figures in the drawings refer to the same parts.

it Letters g show end views of the prongs and flat plates.

A represents the beam; B, the handles; 0, the standard; D, the share and point; E, the clevis.

Small It represents the central wing; 11 and 0, the two side wings, between which the dirt is allowed to fall,while the potatoes are allowed to fall or rolloff.

Small d represents the joint where the side wings, b and c, are let into the rear part of the share by means of tenon and mortise and held in position by means of strong screws. This mode of constructing the dirt-sifting wings for being easily removed constitutes one of the principal features of the plow.

The notch e in the rear part of the standard, for receiving the slotted forward end of the central wing, a, in combination with the screwpoint d, makes the fastening of the central wing, and this is regarded as the second important feature of the plow. These dirt-sifting wings of the potato-digger, being long and slender, are liable to be and often are broken off, and when so broken the wings, if cast in i one piece, as is the usualmode of making them, are rendered worthless, although a single one only be broken off. In my method of making the wings, each being detachable by itself, a broken one is replaced by'a new one in a few moments, duplicates being always on hand. These wings are varied to adapt them to various soils in the following manner: Thus where the soils are clayey or stiff the round-rod prongs of Fig. 3 are used. Central wing, a, and outside one, o, are removed, and prong 3 is substituted for wings bthat is to say, one on each side of the plow. Again, where the soil is less heavy theflat prongs of Fig. 5 are substituted for the round ones already mentioned.

Besides the above uses, this plow answers well as a cultivator for stirring the ground. Using the round prongs of Fig. 4 in the place of the central wings, a, the dirt is thrown off from each side, and this efl'ect renders the implement a good one for working between rows of maize, potatoes, or other crops in weeding time.

1 am aware that the dirt-sifting wings of potato-digging plows are common, and therefore do not claim them; but

What I claim as my invention, and desire 'to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The arrangement and combination of the removable wings b c with the double nioldboard, substantially as set forth.

2. The arrangement and combination of the central or dividing bar, a, with the standard G by means of the notched fastening e and d, substantially as set forth.

R. L. ALLEN.

Witnesses:

JAMES GALBRAITH, L. D. GALE. 

